This invention relates to ornaments, and more particularly to multi-part ornaments, particularly in the form of buttons, jewelry, buckles and the like and the method of making them.
Ornaments, particularly in the form of buttons, buckles and items of jewelry such as broaches, pins, rings, earrings, bracelets, beads, pendants and the like are used extensively to dress-up and decorate wearing apparel and one's person. Buttons and buckles, for example, are extensively used on wearing apparel as fastening devices and for decoration. Jewelry is similarly worn and displayed for a like purpose. Buttons and jewelry are also used as fasteners and for ornaments in non-garment, non-wearing apparel applications. Accordingly, there is a great need for a large variety of shapes, sizes and configurations for such ornaments, buttons, buckles and jewelry, and for a variety of finishes for such sizes, shapes and configurations.
According to this invention, a large number of different decorative combinations is made possible by mixing and matching a fancy base member with an ornate top element and an optional intermediate insert. Such ornaments generally include a base member, a portion which is used to attach the item to a garment, for example, in use. Buttons and belts, for example, include holes, a loop or a shank through which thread, belts or other fastening material is passed to attach and secure the button or buckle to the garment, or other surface to which the button is to be attached. Jewelry pieces include pins, catches, loops, chains, clips, clasps and a myriad of other devices by which the decorative part of the jewelry item is positioned for show.
Surfaces of many buttons and buckles are plain and merely display the material from which the button or buckle is made and the particular color or colors selected. However, a considerable number of buttons, buckles and most jewelry items are finished in many ways to provide a decorative surface that may. For instance U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,781 provides for snapping a decorative member for the button in place but manufacture limits the ornamentation to one having a ridge about the decorative member where the decorative member is fabricated from springy material requiring a certain amount of dexterity to spring the decorative member and place it within its ridge.
An alternative multi-part construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,439 for use with coins as the decorative element and requires a clevis that is loosely positioned and held in place by the decorative element. Other multi-part constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 56,791; 316,253; and 327,442.
Some multi-part constructions use a base part and a decorative part that assembles to the base with a snap type detenting action such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,087,074; 3,414,949; 3,133,331; 4,742,696; and 4,959,890. Spring like or resilient-type fastening elements for securing other type of items together are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,674,107; 2,860,395; 4,507,344; 4,793,155; 4,891,956; 4,899,556 and 4,912,829. Other multi-part constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,220,038; 2,354,513; and 4,471,510.
This invention to provides an improved multi-part ornamental construction for buttons, buckles and jewelry wherein a single base member can be assembled with and have secured thereto a number of different decorative cap members by means of an intermediate collar. In the most preferred embodiment, the decorative cap members, once secured to the base member are substantially inseparable therefrom.